Container carrier

ABSTRACT

A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of bottles, the plurality of bottles each having a neck and a cap includes a central rail having at least one opening and a plurality of clips extending from the central rail, each clip for engaging a bottle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application, Serial No. 63/276,288, filed 05 Nov. 2021. This U.S. Provisional Application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and are made a part hereof, including but not limited to those portions which specifically appear hereinafter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to beverage multipacks and, more particularly, to multipacks made up of a plurality of containers.

Description of Prior Art

Conventional container carriers are often used to unitize a plurality of similarly sized containers, such as cans, bottles, jars and boxes and/or similar containers that require unitization. Flexible plastic ring carriers and paperboard boxes are two such conventional container carriers.

However, with growing concerns surrounding the environmental impact of improper disposal of plastic waste, manufacturers are transitioning offerings to best support a circular economy. One such solution is plastic ring carriers made from 50% post-consumer recycled content. This carrier is operationally efficient, competitively priced, simple, and has a low carbon footprint in comparison to other beverage multipack alternatives. Today, this solution is not considered 100% curbside recyclable by the FTC Green Guide because 60%+ consumers cannot easily recycle flexible plastics.

Multi-packaging systems are generally used in the beer, soft drink, and general products industries. A new and innovative beverage multipacking solution is desirable that includes a 4, 6, 8, and/or 12 beverage capacity. A preferred design is produced using 100% curbside recyclable rigid plastics, like HDPE or PET. These carriers would be applied on PET bottles and/or aluminum cans.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers into a multipack.

A preferred embodiment of the subject invention is made from materials that are 100% curbside recyclable, in particular rigid PET and HDPE plastics that can enter most municipal recycling streams. This invention focuses on end-user needs and structural plastics that can easily be recycled. A solution that is meaningful, practical and makes a positive impact to encourage people to recycle is desired.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a container carrier according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of a container carrier according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a container carrier according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a multipack of containers according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a multipack of containers according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a container carrier 10 to unitize a plurality of containers 30 into beverage multipacks or packages 20. The container carrier 10 according to this invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3 and two examples of unitized multipacks 20 are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 .

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the container carrier 10 is injection molded or otherwise formed from high density polyethylene (HDPE). Alternatively, PET or HDPE plastics may be used. Preferably, the material is generally rigid and 100% post-consumer recyclable in most or all markets.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the container carrier 10 includes a plurality of container receiving fittings, hereinafter clips 50, forming a desired size of multipack. As such, although FIGS. 1-5 show six container clips 50 in a 2 ×3 array, other desired container carriers may be 2×2 for a four pack, 2×4 for an eight pack, or other desired arrays forming a desirable quantity multipack size.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the container carrier 10 preferably includes a rigid central rail 40 having one or more openings 80 for grasping by a user. In addition, the plurality of clips 50 extend from the rail 40, wherein each clip 50 is engageable with a neck and/or cap of a container 30, preferably a bottle. In this way, the clips 50 may engage with a container 30 to retain the container 30 within the multipack 20, as described in more detail herein.

As described, the plurality of clips 50 extending from the central rail 40 and each clip 50 of the plurality is configured to engage a separate container/bottle 30. Each individual clip 50 preferably includes a pair of flexible arcuate arms 60 that extend outwardly from the central rail 40. The pair of flexible arcuate arms 60 are engageable with the neck of the bottle 30 below the cap. The pair of flexible arcuate arms 60 together form a generally circular aperture 65 with a gap 70 at a distal end between the pair where the pair of flexible arcuate arms 60 diverge.

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the central rail 40 is configured to extend vertically between bottles 30. Further, the central rail 40 is preferably formed in a different plane from the plurality of clips 50. Specifically, the central rail 40 is preferably aligned perpendicularly to the plurality of clips 50, and generally parallel to sidewalls of the bottles 30. As such, the clips 50 extend perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the central rail 40. The clips 50 may be configured so that the container carrier 10 can accommodate bottles 30 having a range of diameters of both body and cap, as shown between FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 .

A web 90 preferably extends between each clip 50 and the central rail 40 and is configured to be positioned between each bottle 30 and the central rail 40. The web 90 is preferably perpendicular to the central rail 40 and may be gently curved to generally conform with the curve of the adjacent container 30.

As shown in the figures, the central rail 40 may include one or more and preferably two openings 80 that are configured for a user to grasp the container carrier 10. A user may place a hand or fingers into the openings 80 to tote the package 20.

The unitized package 20 as described herein includes the plurality of containers, such as bottles, and the container carrier 10 as described. The containers 30 may be individually removed from the carrier 10 while maintaining the integrity of the remaining package 20. When all containers 30 are removed, the container carrier 10 may be placed into the recycling stream for recycling or reuse.

The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element, part, step, component, or ingredient which is not specifically disclosed herein.

While in the foregoing detailed description this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of bottles, the plurality of bottles each having a neck and a cap, the container carrier comprising: a central rail having at least one opening; a plurality of clips extending from the central rail, each clip for engaging a bottle.
 2. The container carrier of claim 1 wherein the central rail is configured to extend vertically between bottles.
 3. The container carrier of claim 1 wherein each clip of the plurality of clips comprises a pair of flexible arcuate arms that extend outwardly from the central rail.
 4. The container carrier of claim 3 wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms are engageable with the neck of the bottle below the cap.
 5. The container carrier of claim 3 wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms together form a generally circular aperture with a gap at a distal end between the pair and wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms diverge at the distal end.
 6. The container carrier of claim 1 wherein the central rail is formed in a different plane from the plurality of clips.
 7. The container carrier of claim 6 wherein the central rail is perpendicular to the plurality of clips.
 8. The container carrier of claim 1 further comprising a web extending between each clip and the central rail, the web configured to be positioned between each bottle and the central rail.
 9. The container carrier of claim 8 wherein the web is perpendicular to the central rail.
 10. The container carrier of claim 1 wherein two openings are formed in the central rail, the two openings configured to grasp the container carrier.
 11. A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of bottles, the plurality of bottles each having a neck and a cap, the container carrier comprising: a central rail having at least one opening, wherein the central rail is configured to extend vertically between bottles; a plurality of clips extending from the central rail, each clip for engaging a bottle, wherein each clip of the plurality of clips comprises a pair of flexible arcuate arms that extend outwardly from the central rail.
 12. The container carrier of claim 11 wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms are engageable with the neck of the bottle below the cap.
 13. The container carrier of claim 11 wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms together form a generally circular aperture with a gap at a distal end between the pair and wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms diverge at the distal end.
 14. The container carrier of claim 11 wherein the central rail is formed in a different plane from the plurality of clips.
 15. A unitized package of a plurality of bottles including a container carrier, the plurality of bottles each having a neck and a cap, the package comprising: a container carrier having a central rail, wherein the central rail is configured to extend vertically between bottles; a plurality of clips extending from the central rail, each clip engaging a bottle, wherein each clip of the plurality of clips comprises a pair of flexible arcuate arms that extend outwardly from the central rail; and a plurality of bottles, each bottle positioned within a respective clip of the plurality of clips. 